TRANSPORT IN PLANTS

MOVEMENT OF MATERIALS IN AND OUT OF CELLS

Substances like nutrients and excretions move in and out of the cell by:
1. Active transport
2. Phagocytosis
3. Pinocytosis
4. Diffusion
5. Osmosis
Movement of substances depends on the permeability of the cell membrane or cell wall.
Pinocytosis
This is the process by which animal cells take in liquid materials into their bodies. Thus it is said to
be cell-drinking.
Phagocytosis
This is the process by which animal cells take in solid materials. The cell engulfs/invaginates or
takes in solid materials and form a food vacuole where the food is digested.
Importance of phagocytosis
1) Used by amoeba during feeding
2) White blood cells destroy pathogens by phagocytosis
3) Unicellular animals egest undigested material by phagocytosis
Active transport
This is the movement of molecules from the region of low concentration to the region of higher
concentration against concentration gradient using energy.
Examples of active transport
1) Up take of mineral salts from soil by plant roots
2) Absorption of some food molecules e.g. glucose
3) Selective re absorption of molecules e.g. glucose
Importance of active transport
1) Used by plant roots or root hairs to absorb minerals from the soil.
2) Used in the absorption of food materials from the ileum into the blood stream
3) Used in the reabsorption of minerals in the kidney during urine formation
4) Used in the secretion and active uptake of ions in the fish gills from fresh water
DIFFUSION
This is the movement of molecules of gases and liquids from a region of high concentration to a
region of low concentration. Diffusion occurs because small molecules are in constant random
motion. Molecules of gases and liquids by random motion tend to distribute themselves evenly,
throughout the available space, unlike in solids where molecules are closely packed together and
have no freedom of movement. Diffusion only takes place where there is a difference in
concentration i.e. where there is a concentration gradient and continues until there is even
distribution of molecules.
Experiment to demonstrate diffusion in gases
Apparatus
 Wet red litmus paper,  ammonium solution,
 cotton wool,  glass rod
 glass tube,

Method
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Some strips of wet red litmus papers are stuck on the walls of a glass tube as indicated below.
The glass tube is corked as one end and a piece of cotton wool is soaked in ammonium solution and
is introduced at the other end which is also plugged.
Procedure
Squares of wet red litmus paper were pushed with a glass rod or wire into a wide glass tube so that
they stick to the side and are evenly spaced out. The glass tube is corked at one end the other end is
closed with a cork carrying a plug of cotton wool, soaked in ammonia
Observation
The alkaline ammonia gas, diffused along the glass tube, turning the litmus papers blue in
succession from 1to 5, showing that the ammonia gas was diffusing from one end to the other.
NB: If the experiment is repeated using more dilute solution of ammonia, the rate of diffusion would
be seen to be slower.
Experiment to demonstrate diffusion in liquids
Materials
 Glass beaker  Water
 Potassium permanganate crystals  spatula

Procedure
Fill a glass beaker with about 50cc of water
Place a few crystals of potassium permanganate at the base of the beaker in the water.
Leave the set up for about 30 minutes.
Observation
After 30-40 minutes, the potassium permanganate color will have spread first at the bottom and later
upward to color all the water in the beaker.
Conclusion
Diffusion occurs in liquids.
Factors affecting the rate of diffusion
1) Concentration gradient
Concentration gradient is the difference in concentration between the 2 regions where diffusion
takes place. The higher the concentration gradient between the two regions, the faster is the rate of
diffusion.
2) Temperature
The higher the temperature of the substances (molecules), the faster the rate of diffusion, because
temperature increases the kinetic energy of molecules.
3) Size/density of molecules
The smaller the molecules, the faster the rate of diffusion. The denser the particle, the lower the rate
of diffusion.
4) Distance over which diffusion occurs
The shorter the distance between the two regions of different concentration, the greater is the rate of
diffusion like the alveoli of lungs or the epithelial linings of the ileum are thin to provide a short
distance for diffusion thus increasing the rate of diffusion.

5) Surface area over which diffusion occurs

The larger the surface over which diffusion is to take place, the faster is the rate of diffusion e.g.
diffusion surfaces like the ileum have numerous villi to increase the rate of diffusion.

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Significance of diffusion to organisms
1. It helps substances to move in and out of cells.
2. Plant root hairs take up some salts by diffusion
3. Unicellular microorganisms like amoeba, take in oxygen and pass out carbon dioxide
through the cell membrane by diffusion.
4. Digested food e.g. simple sugars, amino acids, enter the blood from the gut by diffusion.
5. Once dissolved in blood, the food substances diffuse out of the blood into the cells where
they are needed.
6. Oxygen diffuses into blood and CO2 out of blood in the lungs of mammals and gills of fish
by diffusion.
7. Waste products of metabolisms e.g. nitrogen containing substances like urea, diffuse out of
the animal cells into blood.

OSMOSIS
Osmosis is defined as the movement of water molecules from a region of their high concentration to
a region of their lower concentration via a semi permeable membrane.
A semi permeable or selectivity permeable membrane is one which can allow the passage of some
material to occur and prevent others from passing across it e.g. visking –tubing, cell membrane
which allows the passage of all materials across it is said to be a freely permeable membrane
Experiment 1
Aim: To demonstrate osmosis in nonliving tissues (osmometer)
Material
i. Visking tubing or cellophane or dialysis tubing
ii. Thistle funnel
iii. Sugar solution
iv. Distilled water
v. Beaker
vi. Stand/clamp
Procedures
50cc of distilled water is poured in a beaker. The mouth of thistle is tightly covered with a visking
tubing (a semi permeable membrane). This is filled with a strong solution. Thistle funnel containing
the sugar solution is lowered into the beaker and clamped vertically.
The level of sugar solution in the funnel is marked as the first level
Diagram

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Observation
After 2 hours the sugar solution in the thistle is found to have risen upward to level 2 The water level
in the beaker slightly falls down
Conclusion
Water molecules moved from the beaker where they are of a high concentration to the sugar solution
in the thistle funnel via semi –permeable membrane by osmosis causing a risen in the level of
solution in the thistle funnel
Experiment 2
Aim: To demonstrate osmosis using a living tissue
Materials
i. 3 irish potato halves (raw)
ii. 3 petridishes
iii. 2 tea spoonfuls of salt
iv. Knife or scalpel
v. Boiling water
vi. Distilled
Procedures /method
The three potato halves are peeled at the base using a knife.
The middle cavities of the potato halves are scooped out using a spoon or knife
One of the cut potatoes is placed in boiling water for 5 minutes (This will destroy the cell
membrane)
The three prepared potatoes are placed in three petridishes and some water is poured in each of the
dish.
A tea spoonful of salt is placed in one of the cavity of the boiled potato and in one of the raw
potatoes as shown bellow

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The set up is left to stand for about 3hours
Set up of the experiment

Observation
In the cavity of the boiled potato A, there was no water while in the cavity of raw potato half B,
there was water which dissolved salt it. the water level in petrisdish B decreased at the same time.
There was hardly any water in the cavity of potato half C without salt .
Conclusion
Osmosis did not take place in A and C but osmosis took place in B

Explanation of the observation

In A, osmosis did not occur because the semi permeable membrane of potato cells was destroyed by
boiling which did not allow movement of water into the solute (salt) molecules
In B osmosis took place because there was a difference in the water potential between cavity of the
potato and the water in the petridish and plasma membrane of potato cells was living which caused
osmatic inflow of water to the cavity. In C, there was no solute molecules to enable osmatic flow of
water from the petridish to the potato cavity
Note:
When water moves across a semi permeable membrane by osmosis into another solution, a pressure
build up to stop the flow of pure water into the solution. This pressure is called osmatic pressure.
Thus, water moves a region of high osmotic pressure to a region of low osmotic pressure.
The ability of a solution to develop an osmatic pressure is called osmatic potential
Terms used in connection with osmosis
1. Hypotonic. This is used to describe a solution containing less solute and more water
molecules compared to another. A hypotonic solution has lower osmotic pressure and is
generally termed as less concentrated
2. Isotonic solution. These are solutions with same concentration of solute and water i.e.
solutions with same osmatic pressure
3. Hypertonic. This is used to describe a solution with more solutes and less water molecules
than another. A hypertonic solution has a higher osmotic pressure and is generally termed as
more concentrated solution .
4. Crenation. This is the shrinkage of animal cells when placed in hypertonic solution
5. Haemolysis. This the bursting of red blood cells
6. Plasmoysis. This is the process by which the cytoplasm of plant cells is withdrawn away
from cell walls due to loss of water by osmosis i.e. a cell becoming flaccid
7. Turgid. This is the distension of cells particularly plant cells with water.
8. Osmotic pressure: This is the force that must be applied to stop water molecules from
entering that solution, i.e. a dilute solution has a higher osmotic pressure than a concentrated
solution.
9. Water potential of a cell: This is the ability of water molecules to move out of a cell by
osmosis. It is the concentration of water in a solution. A dilute solution has a higher water
potential than a concentrated one.
10. Solute potential: It is a measure of the amount of solute in the solution. It is also defined as
the degree of lowering the water potential.
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 11. Pressure potential: This is a force extended on the cell contents by the cell wall as a result
of reaching the cell wall after water absorption.

OSMOSIS AND RED BLOOD CELLS

When red blood cells are placed in a dilute solution (hypotonic solution) e.g. distilled water, the cells
swell up and eventually burst i.e. haemolyse. This is because water moves from the surrounding
solution (distilled water) via the semi permeable cell membrane into the cell.
Haemolysis in the red blood cell
When red blood cells are placed in a more concentrated solution (hypertonic solution) e.g. a strong
sugar or salt solution, water moves out of the cells to the surrounding solution by osmosis. As a
result, the cells shrink a process called crenation or lacking
Crenation of red blood cells.
However, when red blood cells are placed in isotonic solution they neither gain water and burst nor
lose water and shrink. This indicates that the blood plasma is isotonic to solution in red blood cells.

Osmosis and plant cells

Plant cells are surrounded by an inextensible, resistant and completely permeable cellulose cell wall.
The centre of cells contains a vacuole, which contains cell sap solution of salt, sugars and organic
acid. Cell saps is surrounded by a semi-permeable tonoplast membrane.
Diagram of plant cell showing osmotically important parts

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When a plant cell is placed in a hypotonic solution e.g. distilled water, it swells up hence increasing
in size due to osmotic flow of water from the solution into the cell. As the cell gains water
osmotically, it reaches a time when no more water enters it because the cell wall resists further
expansion. At this stage, the cell is said to be at full turgor or fully turgid. At full turgidity the sap
vacuole enlarges and pushes the cytoplasm against the cell wall. The pressure exerts out wards by
vacuole is called turgor pressure.
When a plant cell is in a hypertonic solution e.g. strong sugar solution. the cell shrinks and decreases
in size. This is because water moves out of plant cells to surrounding solution by osmosis and cell
vacuole shrinks causing the cell membrane to pull away from the cell wall.
The plant cell becomes flaccid because the cell contents are no longer pushing against the cell wall.
A cell in this condition is said to be plasmolyzed.
Therefore, plasmolysis is the shrinkage of the protoplasm away from the cell wall due to loss of
water from the plant cell by osmosis to the surrounding hypertonic solution
Note:
Plasmolysis leads to drooping of the plant. if a plant loses water to the surrounding environment by
evaporation faster than it can be replaced from soil the plant droops and the condition is called
wilting.
The absorption of water by a solid, resulting in swelling is called imbibition. imbibition is different
from osmosis in that water enters the substance, which absorbs it rather than entering a solution.
Too heavy application of strong fertilizers to soil may kill the plant roots they come in contact with
due to plasmolysis.
Practical activity on osmosis.

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Living tissues for example Irish, potatoes, raw pawpaw can be used to determine the levels of
solutions. Strips or cylinders of known length and width are cut and at least two pieces soaked in
each solution for 30 minutes. They are then removed and measured to get the final length. They are
also squeezed to feel their firmness
Expected observations and conclusions.
1. Some strips would be flexible and soft to touch, while the length and the width would have
reduced. This would mean that the tissue lost water to surrounding solution and the solution
is therefore hypertonic to cell sap.
2. Others would be rigid length and width would have increased. This would mean that the
tissue gained water from the surrounding solution by osmosis and the solution therefore was
hypotonic to the cell sap.
3. There would be no noticeable change in firmness and length of other tissues. This would
mean that the tissue neither gained nor lost water to the surrounding solution was isotonic to
cell sap
Significance of osmosis
1. Osmosis is important in absorption of water by root hairs from the soil.
2. It enhances the movement of water from roots hairs via the root cortex to the xylem
3. It facilities the opening and the closure of the stomata by guard cells
4. It enables movement of water from gut into blood streams via gut walls
5. It enables reabsorption of water into blood streams via kidney tubules.
TRANSPORT IN PLANTS
Transporting tissue in plant is xylem and phloem. It involves movement of water, salts and organic
molecules (manufactured food).
THE XYLEM
This Consists of xylem vessels and tracheids. Xylem vessels develop from cylindrical cells, arranged
end to end, in which the cytoplasm die and cross- walls disappear leaving a dead empty tube.
Through this:
Water, mineral salts, move from roots, stems, up to leaves.
Xylem vessels are strengthened by lignin in their walls. This strength gives support to the soft tissue
of roots, stems, and leaves: it also prevents collapse of the vessels under tension as sap pressure
changes.
Characteristics of xylem tubes
1. Consist of dead cells
2. They are hollow
3. Its walls are lignified
4. Has no protein filaments
5. Has no cytoplasm
6. Transports water and salts
PHLOEM TISSUE
This Consists of sieve tubes and companion cells. The sieve tubes are formed from cylindrical cells
arranged end to end. Unlike the xylem vessels, the cross walls do not disappear but develop
perforations of enlarged pits forming sieve plates. The protoplast of the sieve tube element remains
living. Each sieve tube is closely associated with companion cells which are complete cells. The
companion cells regulate metabolic activities of the sieve tubes.
Characteristics of phloem tissue/tube

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 1. Consist of living cells
2. Have a thin cytoplasm
3. Associated with companion cells
4. Consist of sieve cross walls
5. Consist of protein filaments
6. Transport food materials
Structured comparison between xylem and phloem
Similarities:
 Both are perforated, i.e. xylem is bordered with pits and phloem has sieve pores in the sieve plates
 Both tissues are surrounded by parenchyma cells as packing tissues.

Differences: xylem Phloem

Consists of dead cells. Consists of living cells
Both tracheids and vessels have lignified Walls are not lignified
walls
Vessels are often ended and tapering tracheids Sieve tubes have sieve plates perforated with
sieve pores.
Do not have companion cells Have companion cells.
Lack micro filaments Have micro filaments
TRANSPORT OF WATER FROM SOIL TO THE LEAVES
Water absorption by the root hairs to the xylem
Up take of water also called absorption is a continuous stream through the plant. Root hairs in the
soil are surrounded by a film of water containing mineral salts/ soil solution.
The soil solution once inside the root hair vacuole is called cell sap and is a strong solution than the
soil solution (has a lower osmotic potential) and the cell membrane of the root hair is semi
permeable.
The above conditions enable water to move from the soil, pass through the cell membrane in to the
vacuole by osmosis.
Root hairs vacuoles contain a high concentration of solute than the surrounding water. Water is
absorbed by root hairs by osmosis. This causes the root hair vacuoles to become less concentrated
than those of the adjacent cortex cell. Water is then passed into the cortex cell by osmosis and it then
enters the xylem tissue.

The water rises up the xylem by the following forces:

Capillarity:
This is the ability of water to move up the fine tube. It is usually caused by the surface tension but
because the capillary tube is narrow, the water rise is limited.
Cohesion – tension forces:
This is a force of attraction between the molecules of the same substance. Cohesion between water
molecules allows water in a continuous column without breaking. This occurs because as water is
lost by transpiration from the leaves, the water potential at the top of xylem vessels falls below that
at the bottom of the xylem in the root. Water is now pulled by this potential difference because of
the cohesion of the water molecules.
Adhesion:

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This is the force of attraction between molecules of different substances. Adhesion forces between
walls of xylem and water molecules support a considerable weight of water within the xylem tissue
and prevent the water in the xylem vessels from collapsing.
Root pressure:
This is regarded as the pressuring force of the water up the stem from the roots.
The root pressure theory has been suggested as a result of a common observation that water tends to
exude from the cut stem indicating that some pressure in a root is actually pushing the water up.
Transpiration pull:
This is the pulling force generated by the evaporation of water from the leaves. This is caused when
the cells of the spongy mesophyll layer in the leaf lose water by evaporation into the air spaces
causing their cell sap to become more concentrated and as a result they draw the water from the
surrounding cells by osmosis. These cells in turn get water from the xylem in the veins and then
water from the xylem moves to replace the lost water by evaporation. This evaporation sets up the
passing action on water in the xylem called transpiration pull.
Adaptations of the root hair to water absorption
i) The root hair is slender and flexible and can therefore flow between the soils particles.
ii) They are numerous which increase the surface area available for water absorption.
iii) They lack the cuticle which would restrict water absorption.
iv) They are long and narrow which increases surface area to volume ratio that increases the rate of
water absorption.
v) The cytoplasm of the root hair contains numerous mitochondria where respiration occurs to
release ATP needed for active transport of mineral salts from the soil solution to the cytoplasm of
the root hairs.
vi) At the centre of the root hair is a vascular tissue which transports water and mineral salts to the
rest of the plant.
vii) The cell sap of the root hair contains sugars, amino acids and salts, and so its concentrated than
the soil solution and this low osmotic potential enables water to entre it by osmosis
Importance of water to the plant
1. Raw material for photosynthesis
2. Solvent for mineral salts and oxygen that enable them to diffuse into the roots.
3. It is a constituent of the cytoplasm and all sap of the growing plants
4. Provides turgidity which provides support in non-woody plants
5. Cools the leaves of the plants during transpiration
Absorption of mineral salts by the root hairs
Mineral salts are moved in the plant in the xylem in solution with water. Roots absorb mineral salts
in form of ions by diffusion and active transport. Active transport is the movement of the materials
against the concentration gradient by the use of energy released from respiration
TRANSPIRATION
This is a process by which plants lose water in form of water vapour mainly through leaves to the
atmosphere. Transpiration can also occur from flowers.
Types of transpiration
1. Stomatal transpiration: This is the transpiration through the stomatal opening. This contributes
up to 80-90% of water lost.
2. Cuticular transpiration: This occurs through the leaf cuticle which amounts for about 20% of
the water lost.
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3. Lenticular transpiration: This occurs through the stem pores called lenticels and accounts for
about 0.1% of the water lost.
Water can also be lost from the plants as water droplets in a process called guttation through special
structures called hydrates found on leaf types or margins
An experiment to show that water is lost mainly from leaves during transpiration
Apparatus:
Potted plant, Polythene paper, String and Cobalt (II) chloride paper or anhydrous copper (II)
sulphate.
Procedure
a) Tie polythene around the tin of the potted plant. Using a string to avoid evaporation of water from
the soil surface.
b) Tie transparent polythene around the leafy shoot of the plant.
c) Set up another similar control experiment but with leaves removed and dry plant.
d) Leave the experiment to settle for 3 hours in bright sunlight.
e) Remove the polythene around the leafy shoot and test the drops of liquid inside the polythene
using anhydrous copper (ii) sulphate / cobalt (ii) chloride paper.
Set up

Observation
A vapour forms inside the polythene and turns into drops / liquid which turn anhydrous copper (ii)
sulphate from white to blue or blue cobalt (ii) chloride paper to pink.
No vapour is observed from experiment with no leaves / dry plant.
Conclusion: Transpiration occurs from the leaves
Note: A control experiment may also be a covered pot where the plant shoot has been cut off.
Experiment to compare transpiration rates on both surfaces of a leaf
Apparatus
 Potted plant,  Cobalt (ii) chloride paper
 glass slide  Rubber bands
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Procedure
a) Fix pieces of Cobalt (ii) chloride paper on the upper and lower surfaces of a leaf still to the plant
with glass slides.
b) Tie the slides using the rubber bands
c) Note the time taken for the Cobalt (ii) chloride paper on each slide to turn / change colour from
blue to pink.
Set up

Observation
The lower surface cobalt (ii) chloride paper turns pink faster than that on the upper surface.
Conclusion
The lower surface has a higher transpiration rate than the upper surface. This is due to numerous
stomata on the lower surface of the leaf.
Factors that affect the rate of transpiration
1) Temperature: Increase in temperature increases the rate of transpiration. This is because
high temperatures provide latent heat of vaporization which increases the evaporation of the
water leading to more water to be lost. Temperatures also increases the kinetic energy of the
air molecules around the leaf which causes them to move further apart and this increases rate
of diffusion from the leaf

2) Relative humidity: Humidity is the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere. As humidity
increases, the rate of transpiration decreases. This is because the environment becomes saturated
with the water vapour. The water then can be absorbed from the plant decrease which reduces the
rate of transpiration.
3) Wind: Rate of transpiration is higher in windy air than in still air. This is because wind helps /
assists to remove water vapour in the air around the leaf and creates more spaces that can take up
more water vapour.
4) Light intensity: Rate of transpiration is high in the presence of light and low in the dark. This is
because high light intensity results in high rate of photosynthesis which increase the sugar

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concentration in the guard cells which lead to wide opening of the stomata leading to more
evaporation from the plant (also light provide heat which increase evaporation from the leaf stomata.

5) Atmospheric pressure: Humidity decreases with decrease in atmospheric pressure. Hence

decrease in atmospheric pressure greatly increases the rate of transpiration due to decreased
humidity.
Non-environmental factors
6) Distribution of stomata: The rate of transpiration is low when more stomata are on the lower
side and is higher when more stomata are on the upper side of the leaf.
7) Number of stomata: The greater the number of stomata, the higher the rate of transpiration
because more water vapour is lost through the stomata.
8) Surface area for transpiration: Plants with wide/broad leaves have a larger surface for
transpiration thus they experience a higher rate of transpiration.
9) Thickness of the plant cuticle: The rate of transpiration decreases with increase in thickness of
the cuticle. For that reason, plants found in deserts have extremely thick cuticle than those in tropical
regions.
Experiments to measure the rate of transpiration
1. The weighing method:

2. Potometer method:
This is done using an instrument called a potometer. The potometer works on assumption that water
lost from the leaves during transpiration equals water absorbed by the plant.
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Therefore, the potometer:
 Directly measures the rate of water uptake/ absorption of the shoot and
 Indirectly measures rate of water loss / evaporation of water/ transpiration from the leaves.

Procedure:
i) A leafy shoot of a plant is cut under water to prevent air bubbles from entering as these would
block the xylem vessels.
ii) The potometer is filled with water.
iii) The leafy shoot is fixed into the cork and then fitted into the mouth of the potometer vessel.
iv) Vaseline is smeared at the interface of the shoot and the cock to prevent entry of air into the
apparatus.
v) A single air bubble is introduced at the open end of the capillary tube by touching the open end
briefly under water and then release.
vi) At a given mark P, reached by the air bubble, a clock is started and after a given time t, the new
position of the air bubble Q, is noted and recorded.
Rate of transpiration = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑏𝑢𝑏𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛
= Q−P/𝑡
vii) In any given set of environmental conditions, about 3 experiments can be performed, resetting
the air bubble after each experiment by opening the tap and then close.
viii) Average rate is then calculated and taken as the rate of transpiration in that environment.
ix) The set up can be moved to different environmental conditions and rate of transpiration
determined in the same way.
Precautions taken when using a potometer in order to ensure accurate results
 A leafy shoot should be used to ensure significant water loss.
 The shoot must be cut under water to prevent air from entering and blocking the xylem
vessels.
 The whole apparatus must be full of water.
 A single air bubble must be present in the capillary tube fir each experiment.
 Air bubble must be reset to zero mark before each experiment
 A graduated capillary tube must be used in order to clearly read results.
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  Air bubble should not cross the T- function at the reservoir
Adaptations of plants to reduce transpiration rate
1. Shedding off of leaves in deciduous plants to reduce transpirations since most of it occur
from the leaves
2. Reducing the number, size and distribution of the stomata and only on lower epidermis
3. Structural adjustments in stomata i.e. some plants have sunken stomata and others have hairy
stomata which reduces evaporation from them.
4. Reduction in leaf structure i.e. some plant leaves are reduced to narrow or thorny / spines
structures that reduce surface area over which transpiration occurs.
5. Rolling of leaves to create a humid atmosphere around the stomata in order to reduce water
loss.
6. Possession to thick cuticle of the leaves to prevent water loss through it.
7. Thick leaves that store water
8. Changes in the rhythm of stomata opening i.e. they close during day and open at night when
temperatures are very low.
9. They shed off their leaves in extremely hot environment to cut down water loss.
10. Reversed opening and closing of stomata. Stomata open at night and close during the day
when its rate of transpiration is likely to be higher.
Importance of transpiration
1. Results in the absorption of water and its movement up the plant to aid processes like
photosynthesis.
2. Contribution to maintenance of continuous stream of water throughout the plant.
3. Transported water keeps the plant cells turgid and cools the plant.
4. Results in the movement of mineral salts up the plants to where they are needed.
Disadvantages
1. Excessive water loss from the plant may lead to wilting, drying and even death of the plant.
2. Water may lead to over cooling which affect metabolic activities
3. Over absorption of mineral salts with water lead to soil exhaustion.

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